Research

Mixed

For untrained older women, performing resistance training 3 times per week reduces body fat significantly more than 2 times per week, despite both frequencies producing equivalent gains in muscle mass and strength when total weekly volume is equated.

If you are an older woman aiming to lose body fat, doing resistance training 3 times a week is likely more effective than doing it 2 times a week, even if you do the same total number of sets. However, if your only goal is building strength or muscle size, you can choose 2 or 3 days per week based on your schedule, as both will yield similar results.

GoodQualifiesMEDIUM confidence
The results indicate that performing 2 or 3 RT sessions per week promotes similar improvements in muscular outcomes, while training more frequently may reduce body fat after 12 weeks of weekly sets-equated RT in untrained older women.
Fábio Luiz Cheche Pina et al. · The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research · 2019

Why this rating

Randomized controlled trial with volume equating, though the effect size for fat loss was trivial (ES 0.10) and the sample size was moderate (n=47).

Source

Effects of Different Weekly Sets-Equated Resistance Training Frequencies on Muscular Strength, Muscle Mass, and Body Fat in Older Women

Fábio Luiz Cheche Pina et al. · The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research · 2019

rct · n=47Cited 23×
Read the paper

This is one finding among thousands. Every one is graded and traced to its source, so you can see what the evidence actually supports. Browse the research →